New Scanner Purchase

Status
Not open for further replies.

mistatecj

Member
Joined
Mar 25, 2008
Messages
20
Location
McHenry, IL
I have been into scanning for at least 25 years now after my Dad and Grandpa got me into it. I naturally had to switch over to trunking about 8 years ago when my local county in MI switched over. At that time, I purchased a Uniden BCD396t, which I loved. I am now residing in McHenry and noticing the McHenry and Lake counties are switching their systems and my scanner is no longer capable of receiving the transmissions. I figured I better upgrade and I purchased a Uniden BCD436HP. It is going to take a little bit of getting used to setting it up, but during that process I am noticing that a lot around me is now going encrypted. I was lucky up until a month ago or so that McHenry city was open. So my question is, is it worth keeping the new scanner or are we getting to the point that our hobby is getting locked down and I might as well keep the old scanner? Honestly, it looks as if the transmissions that I am able to pick up on my old phase1 scanner still work, and going to the newer scanner didn’t benefit me at all. Just wondering what others are experiencing.

Thank you
 

JD21960

Active Member
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Oct 31, 2007
Messages
1,368
Location
ILL-annoyed
Yes, it's worth it to keep up. You'll need one someday if you move and if the old analog or phase 1 systems change. It's happened to me and my uncle downstate where his police quit analog and went to Starcom21. Now he needs a digital scanner, that's the trend, not the opposite. You never know about Encrypted things too. Over here they got rid of all things in NW Central Dispatch. I couldn't hear anything after being a scanner listener since 1975. Then? they introduced a STARCOM21 tower #149 and we could hear FIRE/Ambulance again. I saw a quote that rings true about this whole issue. "IF your tallest buildings in the county are grain bin silos? then you don't need encryption or 800mhz" McHenry County Sheriff, Winnebago County and Freeport IL police being encrypted is a total joke. They're not NYC, Chicago or Washington DC. More folks abuse Twitter and farcebook to monitor police tactics than actual scanners or online scanner feeds. They should worry more about those and stop punishing scanner fans who support the Police and would help them in any way possible.
 
Last edited by a moderator:

Awesomeman92

Member
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Apr 24, 2008
Messages
717
Location
Bloomington, IL
I have been into scanning for at least 25 years now after my Dad and Grandpa got me into it. I naturally had to switch over to trunking about 8 years ago when my local county in MI switched over. At that time, I purchased a Uniden BCD396t, which I loved. I am now residing in McHenry and noticing the McHenry and Lake counties are switching their systems and my scanner is no longer capable of receiving the transmissions. I figured I better upgrade and I purchased a Uniden BCD436HP. It is going to take a little bit of getting used to setting it up, but during that process I am noticing that a lot around me is now going encrypted. I was lucky up until a month ago or so that McHenry city was open. So my question is, is it worth keeping the new scanner or are we getting to the point that our hobby is getting locked down and I might as well keep the old scanner? Honestly, it looks as if the transmissions that I am able to pick up on my old phase1 scanner still work, and going to the newer scanner didn’t benefit me at all. Just wondering what others are experiencing.

Thank you

Is McHenry not in the open anymore? I've heard traffic in the clear on 3451 recently, but it could've been that long ago, I'm not sure. From what I understood the new center there was staying as-is once Woodstock and all the others came in.

But back to the original question, and yes, I would keep the old one. I'll send you a PM.
 

RoninJoliet

Member
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Jan 14, 2003
Messages
3,384
Location
ILL
Not to "blow the topic" but i had to mention if your familiar with these "blink your eye and your thru them towns , Peotone, Beecher and Monee IL are "ENC" , what a joke.....
 

WX9RLT

Ham, Scanners, GMRS
Joined
Aug 18, 2006
Messages
584
Location
N. Illinois
I wouldn't buy a good scanner, the police in the area are all going encrypted. Keep the old scanners.

The analog scanners are the only thing you can pickup in the area.

The ONLY thing I can hear on DIGITAL is ISP. (in my area)
 
Last edited:

skinnyb82

Member
Joined
Aug 17, 2016
Messages
70
Location
Galesburg, Illinois
I'm in West-Central IL and my county SO went to SC21 with the dispatch end simulcast over analog. County where my gf lives went to SC21 then went back to conventional, which kinda stumps me because of the sheer size of the county and the terrain. Lots of mobile extenders. City PD has its own SC21 talkgroup but apparently hasn't been able to afford to purchase the equipment to go with it. Smart move since they're buying 50 new Sig P320 service pistols to replace the current Sig P220 DAK, equipping more officers with body cams....you know, stuff that matters rather than having a flashy dispatch center and what have you.

Sent from my VS987 using Tapatalk
 

mistatecj

Member
Joined
Mar 25, 2008
Messages
20
Location
McHenry, IL
Thank you all for your thoughts. It sounds like I am better off keeping it. Like you said, when I travel this unit basically sets itself up with the local environment. I did some additional listening to TG 3451 and now hear some familiar voices. I must have been listening on either a slow day or during their transition to the NERCOMM call center. Either way, I have heard a little bit of traffic on their channel, but not like in the past. I should be fun to be able to have the unit self- program itself and also be able to customize it similar to how my old one was.
 

greggk

Member
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Jun 5, 2006
Messages
1,071
Location
York,PA
Make sure you listen to Starcom21 and NWCD. You will need phase II for them. Also not mentioned here is DMR. It is a $60.00 upgrade but you may want to listen to those people as well. Greg
 

freqgeek2

Member
Joined
Apr 27, 2004
Messages
33
Location
McHenry, IL
I also live in McHenry and there is still a lot to listen to. The only department in McHenry County that is encrypted is the Sheriff's Office and the villages that they dispatch for.

The city of McHenry is dispatching on talk group 3451 and are in the clear.

I regularly listen to State Police (Dist 2 and Dist 15) and many of the local fire departments.
Enjoy your new scanner, there is still plenty to listen to.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top